58 Festive Christmas Wreaths

Welcome your guests with these festive Christmas wreath ideas.

Welcome your guests with these festive Christmas wreath ideas.

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Southern Living

Holiday wreaths are true signs of the season. A beautiful Christmas wreath always brightens a gorgeous home and makes guests feel at home for the holidays. Here, our editors share their ideas for how to choose and use festive Christmas wreaths to decorate your home for the holidays. Whether on your front door, windows, or inside your home, Christmas wreaths can be traditional or modern; they can be evergreen, succulent, or anything in between. For a sense of drama, you’ll see how to hang two wreaths, three wreaths, or even hang a Christmas wreath in front of a mirror. The Southern Living editors even suggest that you consider the shape of your Christmas wreath—you may want to choose an unusual shape. From squares to a Tree Form Wreath to one constructed from snowy pinecones, your Christmas wreaths can reflect your creativity and inspiration. Simply think of the splendor of the holiday, and let your Christmas wreath reflect the joy in your heart.

1 of 58Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Use Bold Color

A bold shade of red instantly brings Christmas cheer to any front door. This simply stated version adds the perfect festive touch.

Create Contrast

Classic Magnolia Wreath

Easily add a pop of color to a classic magnolia wreath with your favorite Christmas ribbon.

6 of 58Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Add Accessories

Dress up a natural evergreen wreath for festive pizzazz. A pretty bow and coordinating ornaments are the perfect pairing.

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7 of 58Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Gather Supplies

Customize your wreath based on what you have in your own backyard. Pinecones, berries, and pine needles come together to create a personal, seasonal display.

8 of 58Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Use Seasonal Flowers

Seasonal flowers create an elegant greeting for guests. Choose flowers that coordinate with the color scheme of your home.

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9 of 58Photo: Hector Sanchez

The Dapper Deer

Start with cypress clippings stuffed into a chicken wire wreath form. Then cut the wreath in half with wire clippers to place over the deer's head. Wire the wreath back together, and cover the cut area with a bow. Finish the look with ball ornaments strung from the antlers.

10 of 58Photo: Hector Sanchez

As a Centerpiece

Give the hanging wreath a break, and incorporate one into your table setting. Here, we spruced up a boxwood wreath with succulents, eucalyptus sprigs, and gold ribbon and placed a grouping of mismatched green candles in the center. If guests are coming, add a few fresh white tulips to the wreath with florist water picks and light the candles. Because this is a low arrangement, dinner-party conversations will flow easily all night.

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11 of 58Photo: Hector Sanchez

Organic

Using three different kinds of moss from a crafts store and some florist U-pins, attach the moss to a florist foam or plastic foam wreath form. Vary the mosses while pinning for an authentic garden-like feel. At the bottom, secure a spray of fresh berries and pine from the yard. Then place a homemade bow off-center for a more casual appearance.

12 of 58Photo: Hector Sanchez

Modern

For a cheery retro look, start with a grapevine wreath (we painted ours white) and hot-glue classic round Christmas ornaments in a single color but different shades and sizes. When gluing, adhere the balls to both the wreath and one another for extra hold. Although this wreath makes a big statement, it's lightweight enough to be hung from a stick-on hook.

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13 of 58Photo: Hector Sanchez

Double Stack

This presentation elevates premade grocery-store wreaths. They hang from fishing line that runs over the top of the door. Then, striped ribbon trails the fishing line. This allows the wreaths to move a bit, giving them a striking, free-hanging look. Sprays of fresh bay leaves, seeded eucalyptus, and large gray berzillia berries add tone-on-tone interest and texture.

14 of 58Photo: Hector Sanchez

Traditional

Every home needs a touch of red and green during the holidays. This year, we freshened the typical motif with a shapely wreath made from real Granny Smith apples wired to a florist foam wreath form with florist picks. Red hypericum berries and bay leaves fill out the rest of the wreath. The apples do make this wreath weighty, so hang it from a sturdy nail.

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Pinecone Wreath

Position large pinecones, with the tips facing outward, in a tight ring around a grapevine wreath, and then attach the cones with florist wire. Nestle pieces of garland and smaller pinecones between the large cones to hide empty spots and create a lush look. Hang the wreath with wide satin ribbon, and add a bow for a pop of color.

16 of 58Photo: Jim Bathie

Try a Two-Piece Wreath

Consider using a two-piece wreath to adorn a double-door entry. Start with a wreath that has a sturdy base so it will hold its shape. We used a fresh evergreen here, but a grapevine wreath will work just as well. Cut the wreath in half lengthwise with sturdy wire clippers. Use florist wire to attach evergreen clippings, fruits, and ribbons. Securely hang half of the wreath on each door so the two meet in the center when the doors are closed.

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17 of 58Photo: Charles Walton IV

Go Ahead, Be Indecisive!

These lovely floral wreaths hang from a piece of conduit covered with ribbon. Leave the conduit up for the rest of the year for an easy to rearrange display of artwork. This is a great solution for wallpapered rooms where it would be difficult to patch nail holes.

18 of 58Photo: Ralph Anderson

Artistic Expression

Treat your wreath like artwork by hanging it within a large frame.

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19 of 58Photo: Charles Walton IV

Purchase and Personalize

Colonial Christmas

Give your holiday a colonial feel by using wreaths embellished with colorful fresh or dried natural materials. Plants such as holly, magnolia, mistletoe, pine, ivy, and fir were common in the 18th century. Use them as a base for a more authentic look.

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21 of 58Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Acorn Wreath

Dress up your dining chairs for the season. Collect small acorns, nuts, and other items from the yard and attach them to a wreath form that is wrapped in a chocolate brown ribbon. Glue the wreath to a bed of magnolia leaves. Use an elegant bow to attach it to the back of a chair.

22 of 58Photo: Charles Walton IV

Wintry Wreath

You can dress a standard wreath in white Christmas fashion as quick as you can say “St. Nick.” All you need to get a decorator look is an inexpensive evergreen wreath, available at garden stores and tree lots, and a can of white flocking spray. Take the project outside to ensure you don’t “dust” the unintended, and then let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

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23 of 58Photo: Ralph Anderson

Naturally Beautiful

This moss-wrapped wreath looks like the handiwork of fairies, and most of the materials are just a nature walk away. Simply attach moss, lichens, acorns, and other natural materials to a straw wreath form using a hot glue gun.

24 of 58Photo: Charles Walton IV

Sensational Flowers

Roses shouldn’t be reserved for spring and summer events. This mixture of pink roses, lisianthus, and eucalyptus is lush, festive, and easy to make. See the Step-by-Step Instructions.

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Everlasting Color

Dried floral wreaths are pieces that are not only seasonally appropriate, but also can be enjoyed all year-round.

26 of 58Photo: Ralph Anderson

A Wreath for Every Window

Even the most basic of wreaths can create a strong visual statement when you use multiples. These plain wreaths are simply adorned with a bow and hung with a ribbon in each window to create a stunning holiday display.

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27 of 58Photo: Mark Sandlin

Chile Weather

Spice up your decor with wreaths made out of bright, ornamental chiles. Use a single color of chiles for a more modern, monochromatic look, or mix up the colors for added drama.

28 of 58Photo: Ralph Anderson

Double the Drama

Try hanging a wreath on a mirror in your home. The reflection adds depth and interest.

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29 of 58Photo: Ralph Anderson

Three Wreaths

Groups of three decorative elements can help unify a space. Here, three smaller wreaths are hung above the mantel instead of one large one. While the wreaths are uniform in size, a mix of materials and textures creates a more interesting look.

30 of 58Photo: Joseph De Sciose

Nature's Silver

Don't Forget the Kitchen

The kitchen is where you spend most of your time during the holiday season. Spruce it up by hanging a wreath (or two) in your window. Stack two different kinds of wreaths together and hang with a single ribbon for an easy, layered look.

Succulent Wreath

This sweet living succulent wreath is eye candy indeed. Display it as a centerpiece, tie it to the back of a chair, or hang it on an interior wall. Mix and match your favorite succulents for great texture. With regular watering and bright light, it can live for years. Learn how to make this succelent wreath.

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45 of 58Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Moss Wreath

Soothing hues and luscious textures set the tone for an elegant holiday. Chartreuse reindeer moss brightens this wreath. Scout out shady corners of your garden for lush mats of moss. Supplement with store-bought moss as needed. Learn how to make this moss wreath.

46 of 58Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Tree Form Wreath

This tree made of fresh greenery offers an alternative to the traditional round wreath without sacrificing fragrance. To shape your tree, trim the foliage using clippers. Learn how to make this tree form wreath.

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47 of 58Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Snowy Pinecone Wreath

Long, slender pinecones, such as those of a white pine, work best for this new take on a Southern holiday classic—the pinecone wreath. Finish with a narrow ribbon layered on top of a wider ribbon. Learn how to make this snowy pinecone wreath.

48 of 58Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Terra-cotta Pots

Warm up an entry with earthy terra-cotta rooting pots. Use weathered pots from your own collection, or age new ones using our technique. Hide the wreath hanger with a ribbon, and then add a bow. See how to make this terra-cotta pots wreath.

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Flocked Pinecones

Add simple elegance by flocking a premade pinecone wreath. In a well-ventilated area, spray several layers of canned flocking on the wreath, allowing each layer to dry completely. To dislay as a coffee table piece, add adhesive-backed felt pads to the bottom of a round mirror that is slightly larger than your wreath. Place wreath on top of mirror. Add glass votives.

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Round Magnolia Wreath

Magnolia wreaths have a sophisticated, Southern look, and they don’t shed messy needles like pine versions. Try hanging your wreath with strips of fabric using elsewhere in your room, or with pretty grosgrain ribbon. See the Step-by-Step Instructions.

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51 of 58Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Stretch Your Wreath

Give your wreaths a custom look by stretching round ones to create an oval shape. This is a perfect solution for narrower double doors.

52 of 58Photo: William Dickey

Not Just for Front Doors

Look for opportunities to add a wreath to doors throughout the house. Start with cabinet doors and small interior doors.

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53 of 58Photo: Van Chaplin

Dress Up Outdoors

Don’t forget about your barn or other outbuildings. Make sure that the style of the wreath matches your outbuilding. Here a simple, rustic wreath complements the charm of a raw wood barn.

54 of 58Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Beyond Greenery

Don’t throw away those small scraps of paper left over after you’ve wrapped all the gifts. Turn them into a wreath. Loosely roll up each piece and use a dot of hot glue to secure it. Apply hot glue to each roll and attach to a round cardboard base, working your way around until the cardboard is covered. Hang with a ribbon.

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55 of 58Laurey W. Glenn

Mirror a Wreath

A magnolia wreath seems to float atop this dining room mirror. Arkansas designer Keith Taylor started with a 30-inch pre-made pine wreath and then twisted sprigs of cut magnolia into it. The wreath hangs on clear fishing line from a tack (just above the mirror) that's painted the same color as the wall.

56 of 58Laurey W. Glenn

Mirror a Wreath, Part Deux

Once you've "wreathed" one mirror, you might as well go ahead and wreath them all! This one is built on a 16-inch wreath and attached to the mirror using a suction cup with a hook. The white bow and cream-colored roses echo the palette of the room. Combining them with lots of glossy magnolia doubles the impact.

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Horseshoe Wreath

Taking only about 1 1/2 hours to create, this wreath is easy: Sketch the shape in plastic foam, cut it out, attach bay leaves with wire, and tie on ribbons.

58 of 58Laurey W. Glenn

Embrace Faux Wreaths

"I used to buy fresh ones until I realized I could get the same look without the expense," Birmingham designer Iris Thorpe says of the preserved set she now uses each year.